Aeronautics inventions 03/07

20070069064 - Barrel attachment for a gas gun: A spin attachment attachable to the firing end of the barrel of a compressed gas gun and a method of using the same is disclosed. The spin attachment allows a user to control the spin on a projectile exiting the muzzle end of a barrel of a compressed gas gun,... Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C.

20070069065 - Inbound transition control for a tail-sitting vertical take off and landing aircraft: A system for controlling inbound transition of an aircraft includes a fuselage and first and second freewings pivotably mounted on opposing sides thereof. The system includes an airspeed sensor that outputs an airspeed indication signal. The system includes a controller for increasing aircraft engine thrust to substantially maximum for inbound... Agent: Patent Administrator Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

20070069066 - Method and apparatus for generating lift: A method of generating lift for a vehicle including heating a flow of gas using a gas generator mounted on the vehicle that contributes no more than about ten percent of thrust used to propel the vehicle in a forward direction, and driving a lift fan using the heated gas... Agent: Lee & Hayes, PLLC

20070069067 - Aircraft spiraling mechanism with jet assistance - a: An aircraft 1 with a spiral inducing assembly 2 which is capable of inducing the aircraft to travel in a continuous spiraling motion without the aircraft rolling. A ramjet 6b is attached to a tube 3 that is able to rotate around the encircled part of the fuselage. The ramjet... Agent: Tom Kusic

20070069069 - Engine assembly for aircraft: The invention relates to an engine suspension pylon for an aircraft including a rigid structure provided with a box (24), this pylon also including an engine aft attachment (8) provided with an attachment body (38), and a thrust resistance device (9) generated by the engine. The rigid structure according to... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070069068 - Engine suspension pylon for aircraft: The invention refers to a suspension pylon (4) for an aircraft engine (2), the pylon including a rigid structure (10) forming a box provided with a lower spar (28) and an upper spar (26), and an engine mounting system (11) installed fixed on the structure (10) and in particular including... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070069070 - Energy recovery apparatus and method: An energy recovery and storage apparatus especially well adapted for use with flight control surfaces on airborne mobile platforms, such as aircraft. In one form the apparatus includes a ram-like element coupled to a portion of a flight control surface. An accumulator holds a flexible container having a compressible medium... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, PLC

20070069071 - Systems and methods for providing back-up hydraulic power for aircraft, including tanker aircraft: Systems and methods for providing back-up hydraulic power for aircraft are disclosed. A system in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a hydraulic supply line, a hydraulic return line, and a hydraulic actuator coupled between the supply line and the return line. The system can further include a... Agent: Perkins Coie, LLP

20070069072 - Aircraft shock strut having a fluid level monitor: A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of... Agent: Don W. Bulson (goodrich) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070069073 - Seating system and a passenger accommodation unit for a vehicle: A passenger seat assembly for a vehicle, particularly an aircraft, which is adapted to provide self-contained, individual seating and sleeping accommodation for a passenger, said seating assembly includes a supporting structure (42) for supporting said assembly off the floor of a vehicle; one or more movable, passenger-bearing, structural components (71,72);... Agent: Ratnerprestia

20070069074 - Canopy system: In one aspect, the invention is a canopy system, and in particular a canopy system to be deployed about and above a building site or the like, in order to provided weather proofing thereto. The canopy system includes a base of telescopic supports and a canopy support by and above... Agent: Daly, Crowley, Mofford & Durkee, LLP

20070069075 - System, method, apparatus, and applications for open cell woven structural supports: An open cell or highly porous woven composite truss utilizes fibers of carbon, glass, ceramic, or the like that are woven together in a loom. The warps or tow are woven with the wefts, while the fibers are impregnated with resin. The resin impregnation step may be performed before or... Agent: Bracewell & Giuliani LLP

20070069076 - Airship having a central fairing to act as a stall strip and to reduce lift: An airship including a hull having a lenticular shape and a fairing attached to the hull to act as a stall strip and reduce the lift generated by the hull. The hull is symmetrical along a central horizontal plane and the fairing may be positioned along the central horizontal plane.... Agent: Snell & Wilmer LLP

20070069077 - Airship & method of operation: This invention relates to the field of buoyant aircraft and operation thereof, in particular, airships with improved stability. The present invention is directed to non-rigid, non-spherical airships having an envelop contained within the airship and at least one further envelop contained therein for holding a volume of lifting gas.... Agent: Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

20070069078 - Water-wastewater module for aircraft: Currently, the wastewater collection tank and the freshwater tanks comprise separate containers which are each mounted individually in the pressurized area of the cabin on the structure. In the present application a water-wastewater module is described which has two tanks for disposing of feces and wastewater and a water generation... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20070069080 - Laminated passenger window with a vacuum layer for reduced noise transmission: An aircraft window configuration utilizes a laminate build-up of the primary pane to increase damping and reduce the structural response to the turbulent boundary layer outside the aircraft. The laminate may consist of several acrylic layers or a combination of acrylic and glass layers. Noise dampening results from the introduction... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, PLC

20070069079 - Optimal aircraft window shape for noise control: A window for a subsonic passenger aircraft that provide maximum optical visibility while minimizing the amount of exterior acoustic noise transmitted through the windows to the passenger cabin during flight of the aircraft includes at least one substantially transparent window pane having the shape of an ellipse. The ellipse has... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid, LLP

20070069081 - Demiseable momentum exchange system: A demiseable momentum exchange system includes a base and a flywheel rotatably supported on the base. The flywheel includes a web portion defining a plurality of web openings and a rim portion. The momentum exchange system further includes a motor for driving the flywheel and a cover for engaging the... Agent: Nasa Goddard Space Flight Center

20070069082 - Orbital debris shield: An orbital debris shield for protecting the hull of a spacecraft is claimed. The shield is comprised of a number of flexible and releasably attached gores that substantially cover the hull. Interleafed between layers of the gores are layers of a spacing material. As debris collides with the gores, the... Agent: Franklin E. Gibbs, Esq.

20070069083 - Self-contained avionics sensing and flight control system for small unmanned aerial vehicle: A self-contained avionics sensing and flight control system is provided for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The system includes sensors for sensing flight control parameters and surveillance parameters, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. Flight control parameters and location signals are processed to generate flight control signals. A Field... Agent: National Aeronautics And Space Administration Langley Research Center

20070069084 - Aircraft with extendable leading edge of fuselage and wings: An extendable leading edge for the fuselage and wings of an aircraft is disclosed. The leading edge may be extended from a retracted position adjacent to the fuselage and wings to an extended position. In the extended position, the leading edge increases lift of the aircraft at low speeds. In... Agent: Alan G. Towner Pietragallo, Bosick & Gordon

20070063095 - Trajectory correction kit: The Trajectory Correction Kit (TCK) is a completely self-contained retrofit kit that is externally and fixedly mounted as an add-on to the rear (aft of the tailfins) of an existing, unguided rocket. The TCK continuously measures the pitch and yaw of the rocket as it is released from the launch... Agent: Amsam-l-g-i (ms. Anne Lanteigne) US Army Aviation And Missile Command

20070063096 - Small unmanned aircraft: A small unmanned airplane includes; a main wing having a camber airfoil whose under surface is approximately flat, narrowing in the shape of taper to a blade tip, leading edge of which holds sweepback angle, of flying wing type which has an aerodynamic surface of tailless wing type and is... Agent: Greenberg Traurig LLP

20070063097 - Air input device for a turboprop engine: An air intake layout for a turboprop. A nacelle surrounding an intake section of the turboprop behind the fan propeller can be moved away from the main part of the nacelle and can be divided into two parts that may be extracted so as to leave full access to the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070063098 - Passive cooling system for auxiliary power unit installation: A passive cooling system for an auxiliary power unit (APU) installation on an aircraft is provided. The system is for an auxiliary power unit having at least a compressor portion of a gas turbine engine and an oil cooler contained separately within a nacelle. The system includes the auxiliary power... Agent: Ogilvy Renault LLP (pwc)

20070063099 - Buoyancy-assisted air vehicle and system and method thereof: A method and system for air flight is disclosed. The blended lifting body system is comprised of a lift module, a propulsion module, a payload module and a control system. The control system morphs the other modules through variable buoyancy, internal structures and a flexible exterior, and varies biomimetic oscillation... Agent: George R. Reardon

20070063100 - Equipment fastening device to enhance the crash safety of an aircraft: An equipment-fastening device EFD to enhance the crash safety of aircraft, for fastening a piece of equipment to a support structure of an airframe, includes a load-limiting release mechanism and a load-peak transformer connected to the release mechanism and having a load-limiting, impact-energy-absorbing deformation element. Load peaks that occur in... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070063101 - Support device for a galley: A support device of cabin elements in an airplane. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a support device is provided into which a threaded bushing (7) can be screwed into a fastening element (6) in order to adjust the distance in z-direction of the airplane. Thus, a... Agent: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik

20070063102 - Drag reduction fairing: A vehicle including a body having an exterior surface and a protrusion extending outward from the surface. The vehicle further includes a fairing mounted on the surface directly adjacent and behind the protrusion. The fairing has a forward end, an aft end opposite the forward end, and opposing sides extending... Agent: Lee & Hayes, PLLC

20070063103 - Parachute release apparatus: A parachute release apparatus for controllably and timely releasing a drogue parachute from a descending, aerially delivered cargo platform. The parachute release apparatus is comprised of a pendant body with multiple parallel plates. Cavities are defined between each two parallel plates of the pendant body. Latch mechanisms are disposed on... Agent: Bowles Rice Mcdavid Graff & Love LLP

20070063104 - Space manufacturing module system and method: A space based manufacturing system including a control module and a manufacturing module. The manufacturing module contains the tools required for automated processing of materials into finalized components. The control module allows command and control of the manufacturing module as well as communication with earth based systems. For component manufacture,... Agent: Schneck & Schneck

20070063105 - Apparatus for controlling temperature in satellites: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for maintaining the temperature of thermally sensitive components in a satellite within a preferred operating range. The apparatus employs a heat absorber disposed between the outer hull of the satellite and the components. The heat absorber includes heat-absorbing material preferably exhibiting a phase change... Agent: Mary Elizabeth Bush Quallion LLC

20070063106 - Thermal deformation determination for payload pointing using space-based beacon: A system and associated method for compensating for thermal deformation of a spaced-based structure having a spacecraft payload. The system including a beacon source coupled to a first spacecraft for transmitting a first signal and a beacon sensor coupled to a second spacecraft for receiving the first signal and providing... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid, LLP

20070063107 - Reusable orbital vehicle with interchangeable cargo modules: A reusable module is affixed atop a reusable orbital vehicle (OV). Various configurations of the reusable module have identical external dimensions in the region of attachment to the OV to permit interchangeability. Different configurations can accommodate a variety of missions of different type and duration. A variety of cargo modules... Agent: Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP

20070063108 - Platform and system for mass storage and transfer in space: A platform for storage and transfer of payloads in space includes a plate for supporting a payload, and a transfer mechanism for transferring the payload to and from the plate. A groove extends diametrically between two edges of the plate for receiving a rail provided on the payload. The rail... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070063109 - Rotary flap: The rotary flap (1) is liable to turn about a longitudinal axis of rotation (4) defined according to the first span (5) of said flap (1), said flap (1) having a profile (6) extending along the chord (CO) and comprising a first leading edge (7), a first trailing edge (8),... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070057112 - Reel-out, reel-in magazine and towline cartridge: Provided is a reel-out reel-in apparatus that is specifically configured to rapidly deploy and retrieve a towed device such as an aerial decoy towed behind an aircraft. The reel-out reel-in apparatus comprises a spool, a towline wound around the spool and connected to the towed device, a drive mechanism for... Agent: Stetina Brunda Garred & Brucker

20070057113 - System and method for utilizing stored electrical energy for vtol aircraft thrust enhancement and attitude control: A system and method are provided for ashort take-off and landing/vertical take-off and landing aircraft that stores required take-off power in the form of primarily an electric fan engine, and secondarily in the form of an internal combustion engine, wherein the combined power of the electric fan and internal combustion... Agent: Patent Administrator Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

20070057114 - Procedure and device for improving the maneuverability of an aircraft during the approach to landing and flare-out phases: The process improves the maneuverability of an aircraft during the approach to landing and then flare-out phases, the aircraft being equipped with air brakes. According to the process, the air brakes are put in a first deployed position during the approach phase, and as a function of a representative parameter... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070057115 - Control system for craft and a method of controlling craft: A control system for a missile (11) having a moving wing (12) and moving tail (13) which have synchronised operation for automated variable displacement. The system provides improved manoeuvrability allowing enhanced look and impact. The system is also applicable to aircraft, marine craft and UAV craft.... Agent: Snell & Wilmer

20070057116 - Dehumidification system for an airship: A dehumidification system for removing water vapor from the within the envelope of an airship comprises a pressurizer valve, a blower and a dehumidifier attached to the airship. The pressurizer valve releases air from the envelope and directs the air to the blower. The blower forces the air through the... Agent: Renner, Kenner, Greive, Bobak, Taylor & Weber

20070057117 - Anti-crash method and system, an undercarriage, and an aircraft: An undercarriage (2) for an aircraft (1) includes anti-crash elements that are specific to a second stage of a crash after the end of a first stage. The undercarriage includes: a device for blocking a retraction actuator (6); a device for retaining the actuator (6) functionally separated from a landing... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070057118 - Rotary wing aircraft and a carrier structure: A rotary wing aircraft (1) such as a helicopter comprises a force-transmission structure (5) for transmitting forces, in particular those coming from an undercarriage (2), and that, in longitudinal elevation view, presents an L-shape in which the arrangement (6, 19-21) forms a transversely centered box (6), such that the structure... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070057119 - Piston locking actuator: A locking actuator may be locked in an extended position. A piston with a first and a second end defines a recess that originates proximate to the first end. A strut is adapted to at least partially nest within the recess and the strut is adapted to hold at least... Agent: Lee & Hayes, PLLC

20070057120 - Steerable/retractable cargo power drive unit: A steerable, retractable power drive unit (SRPDU) is provided for installation into a transport vehicle for moving cargo in mutually perpendicular directions, such as a doorway are where containers need to move both laterally and longitudinally in a cargo vehicle. The SRPDU rotates upon application of an external command, to... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070057122 - Overhead video system for an aircraft: An overhead video system for an aircraft is disclosed. The overhead video system comprises a wireless overhead video unit; and at least one mounting rail detachably coupled to the wireless overhead video unit. The mounting rail provides structural support and electrical power to the wireless overhead video unit. A system... Agent: Sawyer Law Group LLP

20070057121 - Simplified power system for a cabin services system for an aircraft: A mounting rail system for a cabin services system of an aircraft is disclosed. The mounting rail system comprises a mounting rail for providing power, and at least one circuit coupled to the mounting rail for allowing for operation of functionalities of a passenger services unit.... Agent: Sawyer Law Group LLP

20070057123 - Process for manufacturing a monolithic leading edge: Process for manufacturing a monolithic leading edge (21) for aircraft aerodynamic surfaces formed by an outer skin (23) and a plurality of inner ribs (25) characterised by comprising the following steps: a) providing a male tool made the assembly of a plurality of blocks (31); b) cutting dry carbon fibers... Agent: Ladas & Parry

20070051846 - Small-size high-speed transmission system for use in microturbine-powered aircraft: A transmission system that is used in conjunction with a microturbine engine for propelling an aircraft body, such as a propeller-based fixed-wing aircraft or a rotor-based vertical lift aircraft, or for a wide variety of other applications. The output shaft of the microturbine engine preferably operates at a rotational speed... Agent: Gordon & Jacobson, P.c.

20070051847 - Electromechanical actuator including redundant, dissimilar position feedback: A relatively small, lightweight actuator includes a plurality of motors, an actuation element, a translation member, and a plurality of position sensors. The motors each supply a drive force to the actuation member, causing it to rotate. The translation member is configured, upon rotation of the actuator, to translate to... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070051848 - Landing gear for a hovercraft: Self-leveling legs are used to accommodate landing a ducted fan hovercraft on a sloped surface such as a roof-top. These legs move to accommodate a variation of slope within their range of motion irrespective to the azimuth of the vehicle body. The configuration and operation of the landing legs allow... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070051849 - Uav recovery system: A UAV capture system is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the UAV capture system is coupled to the deck of a sea-faring vessel. The UAV capture system includes a single arresting line that is supported by a stanchion. In the illustrative embodiment, the stanchion is disposed on a rotatable boom.... Agent: Demont & Breyer, Llc

20070051850 - Aircraft crashworthy energy absorber system: An energy absorber system for aircraft survivability. The energy absorber system includes energy absorbers providing energy absorption in a plurality of occupant weight ranges, said system providing a controlled range of dynamic response index (DRI) and of lumbar load level in one of said occupant weight ranges and greater energy... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070051851 - Multi-piece fastener for limited clearance applications: In accordance with the present invention an aerospace wing side-of-body joint assembly is provided comprising at least one chord element, having an internal reduced clearance region, and at least one skin element. At least one cylindrical bolt assembly passes through the chord element and the skin element and secures them... Agent: Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman, P.c.

20070051852 - Operational ground support system having automated primary servicing: An aircraft servicing system (10) includes a tarmac-servicing system (500). The tarmac-servicing system (500) includes an aircraft-mating element (510) that is mounted and extendible from within an area of a tarmac (502) to couple with an aircraft (504). The tarmac-servicing system (500) supplies primary services to the aircraft (504), such... Agent: Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman, P.c.

20070051853 - Personal flying apparatus: A personal flying apparatus has a substantially horizontal element having a lower surface adapted to acted on by a wind upwardly so as to produce a wind-generated lifting force, and an inflatable element connected with the substantially horizontal element and filled with gas which is lighter than air so as... Agent: Ilya Zborovsky

20070051854 - Space depot for spacecraft resupply: A propellant depot (40, 150) includes a utility box (42, 42′) that has space flight equipment. A propellant cartridge adaptor (95) is coupled to the utility box (42, 42′) and to an exchangeable propellant cartridge system (41). The propellant depot (40, 150) also includes a docking adaptor (44) for coupling... Agent: Ostrager Chong Flaherty & Broitman, P.c.

20070051855 - Lift augmentation system and associated method: A system and method for generating lift provided by a multi-element aircraft wing are provided. The system includes a main wing element, a slat interconnected to the main wing element, and a flap interconnected to the main wing element. The system also includes at least one port defined in at... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20070045466 - Foldable, lockable control surface and method of using same: A foldable, lockable control surface includes an inner control surface member and an outer control surface member hingedly attached along a hinge line to the inner control surface member. The control surface further includes a biasing assembly disposed on the hinge line, the outer control surface being operably associated with... Agent: Law Offices Of James E. Walton, PLLC

20070045467 - Device and method for fastening an aircraft radome: f

20070045468 - Transporting airline passengers comfortably and efficiently on long distance flights: A method of long-haul air travel includes providing a first partial fleet of planes with a substantial number of generally lie-flat seats and providing a second partial fleet of planes with a substantially lesser number of generally lie-flat seats. The first partial fleet of planes are routed generally continuously and... Agent: Robert J. Lauson Lauson & Associates

20070045469 - Insulation product and system suitable for use in an aircraft: An acoustical and thermal insulation product suitable for use in an aircraft is provided, comprising an insulation layer formed from a sheet of insulation material, wherein the sheet of insulation material is arranged to form a series of undulations defining a series of alternating upper ridges and lower ridges of... Agent: Johns Manville

20070045470 - Rf shielding for aircraft windows: Disclosed is an improved aircraft window having RF shielding. In one embodiment, a window shield comprises an electrically conductive, transparent, flexible film, which is applied by known processes to a window pane. This shield is grounded to the aircraft frame or exterior by a “tail” of conductive material, which is... Agent: Sinsheimer Juhnke Lebens & Mcivor, LLP

20070045471 - Combined displacement and swivel mechanism: The present application relates to a specially designed hinge mechanism (4) which makes it possible to construct an aircraft door (2) that can be fitted in a fuselage (3) so as to be displaceable and swivellable on the fuselage (3). Furthermore, the invention relates to an aircraft door (2) comprising... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070045472 - Combined displacement and swivel mechanism: The present invention relates to a specially designed hinge mechanism (4), which makes it possible to construct an aircraft door (2) that can be fitted in a fuselage (3) so as to be displaceable and swivellable on the fuselage (3). Furthermore, the invention relates to an aircraft door (2) comprising... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20070045473 - Aircraft evacuation slide with primary gas relief valve: An emergency evacuation slide system includes a control valve having a normally-open vent that closes after a predetermined period of time calculated to vent excess inflation gas produced by the gas generator. In operation, in the event of an aircraft emergency exit door being opened in the “armed” condition, the... Agent: Goodrich C/o The Cavanagh Law Firm

20070045474 - System and method for propellantless photon tether formation flight: The invention is a system and method for propellantless, ultrahigh precision satellite formation flying based on ultrahigh precision intracavity laser thrusters and tethers with an intersatellite distance accuracy of nanometers at maximum estimated distances of tens of kilometers. The repelling force of the intracavity laser thruster and the attracting force... Agent: Jafari Law Group, P.C.

20070045475 - Systems and methods for semi-permanent, non-precision inspace assembly of space structures, modules and spacecraft: Methods and systems for assembling spacecraft in space are provided. A modular spacecraft comprises a plurality of spacecraft modules, wherein each spacecraft module includes one or more of bonding posts and receiving plates mounted to an exterior surface each spacecraft module, wherein the one or more bonding posts and receiving... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070045476 - Apparatus and method for the control of trailing wake flows: A system and method for dissipating vortices that form at the wingtips on aircraft and from other airfoils. A jet air stream is discharged in a location at or proximate to the outer end portion of the airfoil into the vortex flow, and the jet air stream is moved cyclically... Agent: Hughes Law Firm, PLLC

20070045477 - Aircraft wing slat: An aircraft wing slat for mounting to a leading portion of an aircraft wing includes a main body section and a forward section, wherein the forward section is demountable from or releasably secured to the main body section. The forward section may have a nose skin with an electrically powered... Agent: Plevy & Howard & Darcy P.C.